Monday Muckreads, 12/2/13

In Arizona:

The Arizona Lottery assures consumers in its ads that revenue from ticket purchases goes to education, health and public welfare, the environment and economic development. The Arizona Republic investigated and analyzed 30 years of lottery revenue data and found that of the funds generated in recent years, “less money has gone to those promised areas of focus, while more has gone toward prizes and retailer bonuses — and into the state’s general fund, where it is impossible to track how specific general-fund dollars are spent.” And, according to the Republic’s investigation, the state has grown reliant on lottery revenues as emergency funds.

Guardrail designs changed in 2005, and an investigation by ABC15 shows that this change might not be as safe as previous versions. ABC15 includes the story of whistleblower Josh Harman, who filed a lawsuit against the company that makes the smaller guardrail models, and Luke Robinson, a man whose son was pinned into his carseat by a guardrail during a car accident. ABC15 found that most of the guardrails in the Valley the new, smaller version.

Nationally:

According to an investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting, some immigrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally may be held in “hieleras,” or freezers, possibly for days. “…Men, women and children have developed illnesses associated with the cold, lack of sleep, overcrowding, and inadequate food, water and toilet facilities,” CIR writes. Other human rights issues faced detain border-crossers as well: the Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, was built to hold up to 250 people, but had 732 detainees at one point recently.